A Panacea to All Matters Related to Asabiyyah Prejudice Among Muslim
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IAR Journal of Humanities and Social Science ISSN Print : 2708-6259 | ISSN Online : 2708-6267 Frequency: Bi-Monthly Language: Multilingual Origin: KENYA Website : https://www.iarconsortium.org/journal-info/IARJHSS Research Article Application of the Teachings of Islam: A Panacea to All Matters Related To Asabiyyah Prejudice among Muslim Community Article History Abstract: This paper is attempts to discuss very significant issues such as Received: 30.03.2021 historical record of Asabiyyah Prejudice, the Origin of Asabiyyah Prejudice and Revision: 10.04.2021 How It Was Addressed by the Divine Message of Islam, The Consequence of Accepted: 20.04.2021 Intentional Killing and the Wisdom of Its Divine Punishment, Prejudicial Acts of the Jahiliyyah Period and the Measures Taken by the Prophet (SAW) To Remove Published: 30.04.2021 Them Through the Divine Message, Implementing the Islamic Principle of Author Details Equality, Fairness and Humility: The Most Effective Solution to Different Forms Lawal Abdulkareem Ph. D. of Asabiyyah Prejudice, Implementing the Islamic Principle of Equality, Fairness Authors Affiliations and Humility: The Most Effective Solution to Different Forms of Asabiyyah Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Prejudice among others. Then the article ended with conclusion. Arts and Islamic Studies, Usmanu Keywords: Teaching of Islam, Asabiyyah Prejudice, Divine Punishment, Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria Principle of Equality and Fairness and Humility. Corresponding Author* Lawal Abdulkareem Ph. D. How to Cite the Article: INTRODUCTION Lawal Abdulkareem; (2021) Application of the Asabiyyah prejudice is not a new phenomenon in the history of Teachings of Islam: A Panacea to All Matters Mankind. It needs no emphasis to state that arrogance, jealousy and Related To Asabiyyah Prejudice among Muslim Community. IAR J Huma Soc Sci; 2021; 2(2): rebellion are very strong and most harmful effects of Asabiyyah. These 105-115 evils were the first offences committed against Allah. The triple crime Copyright @ 2021: This is an open-access article was committed by Iblis who willfully disobeyed Allah by refusing to distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license which permits prostrate to Adam (AS). unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non commercial use Another historical record of Asabiyyah prejudice, was what transpired (NonCommercial, or CC-BY-NC) provided the original author and source are credited. between the two sons of Adam, Habil and Qabil. One of them fought against the other and killed him out of envy, injustice and transgression, because of the bounty that Allah gave his brother by accepting the sacrifice that he sincerely offered to the Almighty. The pre-Islamic Arab society was also characterized by historical grudges, vengeance killings, personal ambitions and racial ties all of which are acts of Asabiyyah. Other prejudicial acts of the jahiliyyah period included man’s supporting of his people to whom he belongs, whether they are right or wrong, oppressing or oppressed. The ever-long fierce battles that occurred between Aws and Khazraj before the coming of Islam is a very good example to cite. The contemporary Muslim society is also full of different kinds of prejudicial crises in many parts of the Muslim world. Nigeria1, Afghanistan2, Iraq3, Palestine4, Sudan5, just to mention but a few In Nigeria for example, during the last two decades of political era, series of ethno-religious and political crises continue to occur. These on-going crises seriously threaten the corporate existence of the country to the extent that "the generality of the people have the impression that violent eruptions have been accepted as a way of life in Nigeria and could happen anytime, anywhere without any one getting sanctioned.6 In view of the above brief analysis on the acts of Asabiyyah prejudice which started since the creation of Adam (AS) therefore, this paper intends to examine how Prophet Muhammad (SAW) applied the teachings of Islam to fight against 1 Tamuno, T.N. and Ukpabi, S.C. (1988), “Panel on Nigeria since Independence History Project: Nigeria since Independence”. p133 2 "Ethnic Studies Report". By International Center for Ethnic Studies (ND), Vol. Xvii, NO.1, p1 3 "Religion And Ethics News Weekly: Shia/Sunni Conflicts". Available at http://www.pbs.Org/wnet/religionandethics/week 105/. Retrieved on 04/01/2008, P1 4 "Fatah – Hamas Conflict". Available at http://en.wikpedia.org/wiki/palestenianfactionalviolence, Retrieved on 01/03/2008, p2. 5 "Darfur conflict: Janjaweed". Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/janjaweed Retrieved on 20/04/2008, P1 6 Shola 0., “Last Chance for Two Governors “, see Tell magazine, No. 22, May 31,2004, p18 105 Lawal Abdulkareem; IAR J Huma Soc Sci; Vol-2, Iss- 2 (Mar-Apr, 2021): 105-115 all matters related to this evil phenomenon. Instances of these prejudicial acts and how they were strongly fought and removed through the application of the divine message of Islam shall thus, be discussed. The paper shall also stress the need for the Muslims to fully implement the Islamic teachings of the Prophet (SAW) in order to tackle the different kinds of Asabiyyah crises prevalent in many parts of the contemporary Muslim world. The Origin of Asabiyyah Prejudice and How It Was Addressed by the Divine Message of Islam As mentioned in the above introduction that the first offences committed by Iblis against Allah, were arrogance, jealousy and rebellion. Obviously, pride suspicion and revolt are parts and parcels of Asabiyyah. These acts of disobedience occurred when Iblis intentionally refused to obey Allah’s injunction to prostrate to Adam (AS). When Allah questioned him why he rebelled against His command. Iblis arrogantly said: َلا َي أََٔا َخ ١ْ ٌش ِ ُْٕٗ َخ ٍَ ْمرَِٟٕ ِ ْٓ َٔا ٍس َٚ َخ ٍَ ْمرَُٗ ِ ْٓ ١ؽِ ٍٓ I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire and him You created from clay".7 Iblis thus, despised the angels who prostrated, as well as Adam (AS) to whom they prostrated even though he was perfectly aware that the One who gave the orders was his Lord who had created him and who had control of his destiny as also of the destiny of the whole Universe. In other words, his egotism in putting himself above man and in ignoring the fact that Allah had not merely made man’s body from clay but had given him spiritual form, showed clearly his rebelliousness born of Asabiyyah prejudice. Hence, the trait of Asabiyyah is one of Iblis attributes. In his Tafsir work, Imam al-Tabari quoted Ibn Abbas saying: Before Iblis committed the offence (i.e.; refused to prostrate to Adam) he was together with the Angels. His name then, was Azazil. He was one of the most dedicated worshippers and knowledgeable among the Angels.8 He (Iblis) once said to the Angels after Adam (AS) was created but before life was put into his body: Tell me, if this (man) is given authority over you and you are commanded to obey him, what are you going to do? They said, „we will obey him‟. But Iblis said to himself; „verily if I am given authority over him I will definitely kill him and if he is given authority over me I will disobey him‟.9 In spite of the fact that Iblis was one of the leaders in both heavens and earth10, he deceived himself by arrogantly refusing to abide by Allah’s injunction. He gave the following reasons to support his claim: 1- That he was created long before Adam was created. Therefore, he ought to have authority over Adam and not the vice-versa. 2- That his body is stronger than that of Adam. 3- That he was created from fire, while Adam was created from clay; and that fire according to him, was better than clay.11 Commenting on this arrogant claim by Iblis that fire from which he was created, is better than clay from which Adam (AS) was created however, Sheikh Gummi said in his tafsir work: Indeed, Iblis missed the path of the right point, because fire has weightlessness and impetuosity (i.e. rashness), and it hikes up and abounds with uncertainty (i.e.; it is precarious); while the clay is unruffled, calm, mild and coherent in nature. In the clay is a means of life, while in fire is a means for the destruction (of life).12 Therefore, all the reasons given by Iblis are false and they indicate nothing but clear manifestation of arrogance and envy against the bounties given to Adam (AS) by Allah (SWT).13 Envy and arrogance are therefore the first offences committed. They are also very strong ingredients of Asabiyyah. Hence, the origin of Asabiyyah is from Iblis who is an avowed enemy of Adam (AS) and his children. 7 Al-A‟raf, 7:12 8 Al-Tabari, M. J. (1420/2000), Jami‟ Al-Bayan An Ta‟wil Ay al-Qur‟an. Edited by A. M. Shakir, Mu‟assasat Al-Risalah, 1st ed. Vol. 1, Available at www.qurancomplex.com pp502-503 18 Al-Baghawi, H. M. (1417/1997), Ma‟alim al-Tanzil. Edited by M. A. Al-Husain et. al, Dar Tayyibah, 4th ed. Vol 1, Available at www.qurancomplex.com, p81 10 Jami‟ Al-Bayan, op. cit., vol. 1, p503 11Tafsir al-Qur‟an al-Azim. op. cit. Vol. 1, Available at www.qurancomplex.com) , p228 12 Gummi, A. M. (ND), Raddul- Adhhan Ila Ma‟ani al-Qur‟an (tr), - Reflecting Minds Towards Meaning(s) of the Qur‟an. Nigeria: Iqra’a Publishing House, U/Sarki, Kaduna. Vol. 1, p 445 13 Al-Qurtubi, M. A. (ND), Al-Jami‟ Li Ahkam Al-Qur‟an, Mawqi‟ Ya‟sub, Vol.6, pp133-134 106 Lawal Abdulkareem; IAR J Huma Soc Sci; Vol-2, Iss- 2 (Mar-Apr, 2021): 105-115 To address this rebellion therefore, Allah took very stern measures against Iblis.